Home
 

60 Main Road Westhampton, MA 01027     Call us at 413-527-7364

Please Sign In

forgot your login?

Create a New Account

Creating an account takes only a moment.

  • Save your billing and shipping information for faster checkout.
  • Quick access to your Order History.
  • Save items in your shopping bag between visits.
  • Sign-up for email updates on news and promotions.
  • Open a professional, wholesale or distributor account.
  • Become a store affiliate and earn commission for referrals.
 

Basic Manners Class Options

Basic Manners Class Options

Do you dream of having that well-behaved dog that everyone loves to be around? You know the one. A dog that sits when asked, comes when called, walks nicely on a leash and greets people calmly?

If so, we can tell you that it is PAWSible!®

When you enroll in our Basic Manners class, you will be professionally guided by Beth who will show you how to, not only teach the basics commands, but how to apply these to the real world!
First learn how to teach:

  • sit and down
  • stay in place
  • come when called
  • walk nicely on a leash, and more
  • And a new feature has JUST been added to help your training during the week!  There is an online portion now available that you can use while taking your live class!

Start learning immediately how to have a dog that stops jumping on counters and reacting to novel people or dogs.  

You’ll be amazed at how much your dog learns in just six weeks!

Your instructor in every course at It's PAWSible!:   Beth Ostrowski-Parks, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA.   I always have another Certified Dog Trainer assisting me as well!  This helps ensure you’ll have time to interact with me and get your questions answered.

If you’re ready to have the dog you’ve always dreamed of, check out the two options below and select the one that best suits your training goals.



Working with Beth was a game-changer. We saw an incredible difference over the 6 weeks of our Basic Manners class.
Read More

Our new-to-us dog Maggie really learned how to listen to us, and to react much better to other dogs. We gained confidence in working with Maggie just from attending this class.

Beth's suggestions also helped us correct behaviors at home like barking and jumping. Basic Manners was fun, empowering, and set us on a path I feel really good about with Maggie.

Emma and Holden

Read Less
Basic Manners Class

Basic Manners Class

Who: Any puppy or dog over the age of 9 weeks
What: 6 week Live Basic Manners class + Puppy and Dog Training Ebook,
Plus:  10 week Online Platform to support your live classes
Where:  At our clean and spacious dog training center
Duration: Live, once a week for six weeks
When: Listed Below are START DATES
Fee: $385.00

Start dates for upcoming classes:

Tuesday, April 2 @ 5:45 p.m.

Read More >
Basic Manners and Behavior Consultation Package

Basic Manners and Behavior Consultation Package

Who:  Any Puppy or dog over the age of 9 weeks
What:6 week Live Basic Manners class + Puppy and Dog Training Ebook,
NEW! 10 week Online Platform to support your live classes
90 Minute Consultation, with you, your dog and your family
When:  Group Class meets
            once a week for 6 weeks and  a
            Behavioral Consultation 
            s
cheduled at a mutually agreeable time.
Fee:    $675.00 (save 10% off individual pricing)

Start dates for upcoming classes:

Tuesday, April 2 @ 5:45 p.m.

Read More >


Please Read these Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions for Group Classes

     
  • How is It's PAWSible! protecting students from COVID19?

    Such a challenging world we live in! 
    At It's PAWSible!, we have been committed to providing the safest community for our clients to come and train their dogs. Thankfully we have come a long way in this journey with the pandemic.   You are always welcome to wear masks but masks are not required at this time!

    Additionally,  my training center is 5000 square feet of open space so social distancing is not a problem.  We still have hand sanitizing stations in multiple locations.

  • I'm planning on attending an Ultimate Puppy Class with my puppy. What vaccinations are required?

    At It's PAWSible!, I require at least one set of shots.  Often, by the time puppies start class, they usually have had two rounds of vaccinations.   I also require that a puppy is home (either from a shelter or from the breeder) at least 1 week  before starting the Ultimate Puppy Class.

    Are you worried about vaccinations and how many puppies really need to start their training? Please check out the Puppy Socializations Position Statement by the AVSAB (American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior on the importantance of early socialization and how a puppy has more likelihood of developing a behavior problem from lack of socialization than he or she has the liklihood of contracting a disease.

    For this reason, as a trainer and behavior consultant who is constantly studying training and behavior in dogs and puppies, I only require that first   set of shots.  Hopefully after reading the above position statement you will agree. 

    Ultimately the decision as to when YOU start classes is yours, not your Veterinarian and not me.   I will only say that in 25 years of teaching puppy classes, I have NEVER had any puppy get ill.  That's thousands of puppies!

  • Do you use clickers?

    In our Beginner classes (Ultimate Puppy and Basic Manners) we do not use clickers to teach.  I am not opposed to clickers at all, in fact I see a great value in them.   I just feel that many novice dog owners don't want the hassle of one more thing to think about.  If you are clicker savvy and want to use your clicker, I have no problem with that. 

    If you ever want to learn how to effectively use a clicker, we can do a private lesson.   Just understand, you do not need a clicker to effectively train a dog.   We've been teaching here for 25 plus years with lots of successful students without using clickers.

    Keep in mind the trainers here are all very famililar with clicker training and love it, we are just trying to encourage people to train the way they are most comfortable as long as it is positive reinforcement training.   

  • What makes It's PAWSible! different than any other dog training center?

     We would love to tell you.  Here are the four main reasons that you should choose It's PAWSible!

    1)  All three of our Pet Dog trainers that teach the Basic Manners and the Ultimate Puppy Classes are Nationally Certified through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT).  We attain the CPDT-KA Credentials through a very extensive exam that is offered only twice a year.  The test is no joke, it's very difficult as the council wants to be sure that we know what we are doing and also that we understand the science of animal learning.  I am also certified through the same council as a Certified Canine Behavior Consultant (CBCC-KA).  Again these credentials took a lot of study to attain.  We all have to take continuing education courses if we want to keep these credentials, too.

    2)  Both our puppy training classes and our basic manners classes have a unique online course that you can use to watch videos and keep up with the live classes.  Our classes have been running this way for the last two years and our students love being able to log in and watch class videos.

    3)  The training center was built for dog training.  Our 5000 square foot training center is clean, beautiful and when you walk in, you would never know it's 20 plus years old.  You will not even smell a trace of dog smells here.  That takes effort and we put it forth.  Our center is heated in the winter and air conditioned in the summer.

    4)  Probably the most important:  The training you will receive is the best.  I, and my assistants, put everything into our training.  We will teach you as much as you want to learn!

    We care deeply about your success and we are here for you for as much information as you want.  You won't just learn sit, down, stay and the basics.  You will learn how to handle true life issues and concerns.  We understand that the best method of advertisement is to have a great reputation and we know we do.  But we are aware we have to not only earn that, but keep that too!

    As the owner of this business answering these questions, you can see I'm very proud of what we have accomplished here.  I hope I've convinced you which is most important.

  • When do classes meet?

    Here is a direct link to our training schedule page. We have many options. We also have some great training package specials that will save you a little money! The dates listed are START DATES. If you choose a particular start date then that is the time your class meets each week. Both the Ultimate Puppy Class and Basic Manners classes are six weeks long. 

  • What is the training method at It’s PAWSible?

    At It’s PAWSible! I use a method called Lure-reward. It is a method that I’ve been using for 25 years and it works really well. All of the instructors have been trained by me so we are all very consistent. The basic idea is to teach behaviors using a lure (treat). This then becomes a hand signal and the treat is “faded”. To see how lures quickly become hand signals, check out  this great video of our one of our trainers demonstrates the technique. The treat then becomes a reward and over time you reward randomly depending on what exercise you are doing. Some rewards can be faded quicker than others. I reward the recall ( “coming when called”) for a long time, if not forever! This skill is the most important "command" we can teach our dogs and sometimes it's the most difficult one for your dog to do.   We need to make this one worth your dog's effort!  

  • Who in my family can come to class?

    We have a 5000 square foot facility that we planned and had built for the purpose of training dogs. We have plenty of room. Before the pandemic, I would encourage large families to come but now I limit the human participation to 2. It's important to understand that your dog doesn't learn here, he learns at home with your family. 

    To help with this, we have two options for an extra helpful training tool.  We have the It's PAWSible! Dog Training DVD that I wrote and produced that has over 3 hours of information on it.  It makes a great tool to help families be consistent.  

    In 2020, I introduced my Online Basic Manners course.    This version also has so much available to you by way of video instruction and PDF files that you can print.  Either of these can be purchased on line or by a simple phone call! 

    But having a tool like this is great for family members to help keep everyone doing the same thing.

    I am always available for private lessons.

  • Can my children come to class?

    If you do bring children to class, please be aware that we are expecting you to have full responsibility for them and that if there is a problem with being able to control children, we will ask you to make other arrangements for the rest of session.   

    One point I like to make when people call about bringing children is:  You came here to learn and you get one hour a week in your live class.  If a child attends with you, will you be able to fully concentrate to get as much out of this course as possible? 

    It's also important to realize that this is a GROUP class so there are other people there without children and they deserve the same amount of attention as you do.  For that reason, I have to be sure that adults realize the responsbility that they have when they bring young children to class.

    Thank you for your understanding.   

  • How many dogs will be in the class?

    My puppy and basic manners class sizes to have a 10 dog limit.  For Beginner Agility classes, 6 to 8 dogs and my advanced agility classes on Thursdays and Fridiays are limited to 5 to 6 dogs.  Each class can have a maximum of 2 humans attending.  Most classes have only one handler attending.

  • What if I think my dog is not quite ready for a group class?

    If you think your dog may not be ready, it’s a good sign that perhaps he or she is not. 

    Quite often, dogs new to families (rescue or shelter dogs) or adolescent dogs who have seemingly suddenly become "out of control", need a consultation before they come to a group class.  This is for safety reasons but also to help you and your dog be set up for success.   This would be in the form of a behavioral consultation.  

    If you want schedule a behavioral consultation which is 90 minutes, we can do that.  I would praise your intuitions and let you know right now, that you are making the right choice!   By working one on one first, we can work directly on your issues and concerns about your dog.  Your dog also gets to be in the training center without the pressure of other dogs or people. 

    We appreciate your honesty.

  • I have a vacation planned right in the middle of the group class I'm looing at and I'm going to miss a week, are there any make ups?

    There are no make ups for missed classes.  However, people miss classes all the time.  Life is very busy and also unexplained colds and sickness can sometimes cause someone to miss a class.  We will do everything in our power to make sure you are caught up.  PLUS!, you have the hybrid portion of your class now where you can watch your videos and stay ahead or catch up with the class.

    Please don't let a vacation cause you to put off training.  Your dog is learning  all the time and you want to try and control what he learns.   The goal is to have him learn only the behaviors you want!  Good dog training information will help you to attain that goal.

  • What are the best treats for class?

    GREAT QUESTION!    This is very important. Your dog could love dog biscuits at home. He could love dog treats at home or his kibble. But when you take your dog into a very distracting atmosphere, which is what a dog training class is, you need something that will get his attention. We sell many healthy soft training treats at It’s PAWSible! but what I recommend that you bring is cut up real meat (any leftovers are fine). You can also buy cooked chicken strips or even beef strips at any grocery store. Get creative! Turkey meatballs, leftover meatloaf!  String cheese is one of my dog's favorites and it's so easy to work with (and inexpensive).

    If your dog never gets anything but kibble and dog cookies and you want to try good healthy soft dog treats, we have plenty available for sale!

  • I have a young puppy—I see that they are welcome in either Ultimate Puppy or Basic Manners. What is the difference and which should I choose?
    Here is my best answer: 

    We get this question a lot.  If your puppy is 8 to 16 weeks of age, you can sign up for the Ultimate Puppy Class.  If he is older then you would take the Basic Manners Class. 

    However, the Basic Manners class is for puppies and dogs of all ages so if you cannot do (Tuesdays at 7:15 p.m.)  than a Basic Manners class will work out great for you as well.  Your puppy at 8 to 16 weeks of age can learn EVERYTHING an adult dog can learn.   So, If our Ultimate Puppy Schedule works best in your schedule, I would enroll in that class.   If not, take the Basic Manners class (Tuesdays @ 5:45 p.m.).  You will see dogs of all ages in that class.
     
    Additionally, if you sign up for the Basic Manners class and I can see that you have a young puppy, I'll send you a PDF of my Ultimate Puppy Class booklet which will be very helpful for you!
     
     
     
    If you cannot make the Ultimate Puppy Class, the Basic Manners is fine.  This class will have puppies and dogs of all ages.  There may even be some puppies that have just graduated from our Ultimate Puppy Class.  No matter what class you choose, your puppy is ready to learn now!  In fact he is always learning whether you are intentionally training him or not.   
     
    Bottom line:  Sign up for what works best in yor schedule!